Handmade Papercrafts by Diane Kaufman

Menu

Craft Fair!

At the end of last month I participated in a church craft fair, which was the first time I’ve ever done one! It was a great experience from beginning to end. It all started when my friend Sandy told me about the event back in June. Sandy makes handmade, beautifully sewn aprons in pretty and fun fabrics. You can check out her “I’ve Got You Covered” Etsy store here (isn’t that a cute store name?) After realizing I would have more than a few months to prepare for the event, I decided to give it a shot. The most challenging components for me being a newbie were deciding what to make to sell, how many pieces to make, and what the price tags should be. There were so many questions I asked myself…such as, do I make birthday cards? Holiday cards? Thank you cards? Get well and sympathy cards? Since I couldn’t decide and felt a bit overwhelmed, I asked my friends and family what their thoughts were and that started the planning process for me. I landed on making Christmas themed cards and crafts and felt relieved to have made that decision! After I knew what I was making, it all went uphill from there.

In preparing for the show, I kept my expenses down by using display items for my table that I already had at home – baskets, frames, and a tablecloth. I also dusted off my scrap paper box of designer paper to use to make my cards and tags. Earlier this year I bought a custom rubber stamp from Joscelyne that I used to make calling cards with, and used my pretty scrap paper for too. In total, I spent about $10 bucks on a burlap banner that I embellished and a package of brown paper bags to put my cards and tags in to for buyers.

Participation was a great way to showcase my handmade cards and tags to my local community. I really enjoyed the face-to-face communication, the opportunity to assess the competition and the chance to meet new people. A big THANKS to my friends who came to the craft fair to support me – it really warmed my heart to know I have such great support and fans! Another shout out to my friend Celeste who helped me set up and who was my “conversation piece” at my table. She came dressed in her cute Halloween shirt and accessories and made me feel at ease. I’m so glad my friend Sandy convinced me to sign up for the show, it was great to challenge myself and I loved trying something new! Here are some pics:

Craft fair prep: Making card bases, using alcohol inks to customize paper, and embellishing brown paper bags to make them my own.